If you’ve ever peered into the mirror and noticed a few small white bumps on the surface of your skin, you might have tried to squeeze them, assumig them to be whiteheads. The likelihood is that nothing happened and you simply gave yourself a sore, red spot instead.
These aren’t whiteheads or a spot of any kind, they’re actually milia and whilst not dangerous, they can be annoying.
What Are Milia?
Milia appear as a very small bump on the skin, white in colour. These occur when the dead skin cells on the surface of your skin cannot escape and simply become trapped there. Consisting of keratin, milia do look a lot like whiteheads but they’re totally normal and easy to treat. Whatever you do – do not attempt to squeeze them!
- You can develop milia totally randomly, for no particular reason whatsoever, but there are a few risk factors that mean you’re more likely to notice them. These include:
- Using a heavy moisturiser or skin cream, particularly around the eyes
- Damage from the sun
- Using harsh skincare products in general, anywhere on the face
- An after-effect of a rash
How to Rid Yourself of Milia
Because squeezing milia is not going to amount to anything other than soreness, you need to look into other ways to tackle the problem. Thankfully, there are a few very easy methods for getting rid of milia.
- Exfoliating the skin – We know that exfoliation is good for the skin anyway, but a gentle amount of exfoliation isa good way to cleanse the skin and release those dead skin cells which build up to cause milia. Not only will this get rid of milia you already have, but it might help you avoid them in the future, if you exfoliate on a regular basis.
- Using chemical peels – Whilst chemical peels might not be suitable for everyone, they are a good way to get rid of milia too. Look for peels which contain salicylic acid and glycolic acid, as these are less abrasive, meaning you don’t need to scrub away at your skin, causing potential damage and soreness. These will remove the top layer of your skin, i.e. the dead cells, and leave behind a fresh canvas, free of milia.
- Try Retinol – Retinol is a good option for ridding yourself of milia and can easily be incorporated into your daily routine. This is also anti-aging and has a whole host of other skincare benefits. Again, it’s not suitable for everyone so be sure to check things out before using it. If you’re pregnant or breastfeeding, it’s best not to use retinols.
- Look at your skincare products – Take a look at the products you’re using as these might not be suitable for your particular skin type and therefore be contributing towards milia development. It’s likely that you’re noticing milia around your eyes, so it could be that your heavy eye cream is alittle too heavy for that particular area. Instead, opt for a lighter cream which won’t clog up your pores and cause dead skin cells to get stuck on the top layer of your skin.
Waving goodbye to milia for good isn’t as difficult as you might think, and these are all methods you can easily incorporate into your daily skincare routine, for optimal benefits.
